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St. John's College (NM)

From the School

St. John’s is centered on reading and discussing the great works of Western civilization. Here, students explore the authors, scientists, philosophers, musicians, mathematicians, politicians, and more who changed our world.

Overall

From The School

The Princeton Review reports that “St. John’s has one of the most personal admissions processes in the country.”

The St. John’s application process is different. The Admissions Committee (both admissions officers and faculty) does consider traditional factors, such as academic record, letters of recommendation, and test scores (which are optional for most students). But most importantly, the committee focuses on the essays, (Common Application essays and the supplemental St. John’s one) and the committee reads the essays of every single applicant to St. John’s before making an admissions decision.

Because St. John’s welcomes all serious applicants, there is no application fee.

St. John’s is need blind, so a student’s application for financial aid does not affect the committee’s decisions on admission. Need-based financial aid is available for those students who complete the financial aid application. All applicants are considered for merit scholarships.

BEFORE YOU APPLY:

Select your campus: Annapolis or Santa Fe. You may only apply to one campus. Accepted students may change campuses before enrolling if there is space available.

For most applicants, test scores are optional. Applicants who will not earn high school diplomas or are home schooled must submit the results of the SAT or ACT. Most international students must submit the results of the SAT, ACT, TOEFL, or IELTS; international students who are currently educated in English may choose an interview instead of submitting testing.

OPTIONAL MATERIALS:

Additional letter of recommendation

Interview

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for those applying for need-based financial aid. All applicants, regardless of whether they apply for need-based aid, are eligible to receive merit scholarships.

DEADLINES:

Applicants may apply Early Action, Regular Fall, or, for the Santa Fe campus, Regular Spring. Early Action acceptances are non-binding. Except for Regular Spring applicants for the Santa Fe campus, all accepted students have until May 1st to make enrollment decisions and deposits.

Other Admission Factors

Selectivity Rating

Overall

From The School

Academic Programs

St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico (NM) cultivates students' intellect and stimulates their imagination. It has one undergraduate program: the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. This rigorous interdisciplinary program provides liberal arts education focused on the study of great books like "Don Quixote," "Descartes' 'Meditations'," "Aristotle's `Physics," and "The Brothers Karamazov."

Inquisitive and enthusiastic students from all 50 states and 20 countries learn and grow in a vibrant and welcoming community. They participate in small, discussion-based classes where faculty members demonstrate commitment to discovery and promote learning across several disciplines.

The college, which has no religious affiliation, has accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It is a member of Colleges that Change Lives, a non-profit organization that supports students (and their families) in the student-centered college search process, helping each student select a college that promotes a lifelong love of learning and excellent educations which rival, if not exceed, the ivy leagues. It also has a campus in Annapolis, Maryland that students can transfer to or complete a year of their studies.

There is only one interdisciplinary program at St. John’s College because the college does not believe that the human mind is segmented into majors. All students follow the same curriculum based on reading original texts — the great books of the Western world — and examining them in small, discussion-based classes. The program is well-balanced between the humanities on the one hand and the sciences and math on the other. This approach enables students to thoroughly reflect on the material and to form ideas and raise questions of their own. They develop active and strong critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills.

Significant areas of concentration emerge in the five categories of classes: seminar, math, science, music, and language.

Seminars: (four years)

Classics

Economics

English / Literature

History

Philosophy

Political Science

Psychology

Religion / Theology

Math Tutorial: (four years)

Algebra

Astronomy

Calculus

Geometry

Number Theory

Relativity

Science Laboratory: (three years)

Astronomy / Astrophysics

Biology

Chemistry

Genetics

Physics

Music Tutorial: (two years)

Chorus

Music Theory

Language Tutorial: (two years for each)

Ancient Greek

French

Language Tutorial: (two years for each)

Ancient Greek

French

Majors and Degrees Offered

All Students graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and the all inclusive, interdisciplinary “major” can be categorized as Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Liberal Arts And Sciences Humanities Related, and General Studies.

Graduation Rates

Graduate in 4 years

53%

Graduate in 5 years

65%

Graduate in 6 years

65%

Majors

LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies.

Students Say

At St. John’s College in Santa Fe, students read and explore a common body of “great books”—including many of the most important books in history—in close partnership with their classmates and teachers. Every professor “must teach (learn) Euclid, Plato, and Darwin, whether he or she has a Ph.D. in mathematics, classics, or biology.” This common curriculum and dedication to the liberal arts means that “students are respected for what they can bring, and need never feel self-conscious about whether they’re ’smart enough.’” Everywhere you look, there is a “commitment, sincerity, and passion for learning of the community and the faculty.” This truly is an academic community that sincerely loves “the journey in its pursuit of knowledge, not simply the destination.” The “liberation of the mind” at SJC comes primarily by means of the Socratic Method. SJC does not have professors, but tutors, who are there not to lecture, but to “help lead the class through the curriculum.” The tutors are “very different in personality,” but also “very knowledgeable and excitable about what we do.” As experienced academics, they are “skillful when it comes to managing the classroom discussions and helping students articulate their thoughts” and are “truly open-minded and give everyone a chance to participate.” “They really care about their students and treat us as peers in the classroom since they consider themselves also to be constantly learning.” “Everyone shares fundamental values of how to treat others in the classroom,” says a student. The greatest asset of SJC is the community; with everyone on board this nontraditional learning train, it’s hard not to be at your best. “You’re thinking nonstop at SJC,” says a student. Though the self-selecting student body pretty much ensures success, students can choose how connected they wish to be to the rest of the school. “You can go four years without having an interaction with the president of the college, or you can see him every Tuesday at the Foreign Relations study group,” says a student.

Career Services

ROI & Outcomes

Overview

From The School

Tuition, Room, Board and Fees

St. John's College Santa Fe, NM is committed to helping students finance their education. It provides financial aid packages tailored to each student's circumstances. Resources include college-funded scholarships, federal loans, federal work study jobs, and need-based grants.

Tuition: $49,758 (Per semester: $24,879)

Room and Board: $11,161 $11,888 (Per semester: $5,581 $5,944)

Activity Fee: $470 (Per semester: $235)

Health Insurance: $1,798

Tuition Insurance: $552

SJC Manuals Fee: $125 (Fall semester)

Graduation Fee: $100

Caution Fee (refundable): $200

Financial Aid

AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE: $41,324
The average financial aid package at St. John’s is more than half of the total cost of attendance. This includes need-based financial aid and merit scholarships.

NEED-BLIND ADMISSION
St. John’s College follows a need-blind admissions policy. Applicants are considered for admission independently of their need for financial aid.

NEED-BASED FINANCIAL AID
St. John’s meets the full demonstrated need of all US citizens and permanent residents and provides generous need-based financial aid to international students. More than 70% of St. John’s students currently receive need-based financial aid. Students reapply for need-based aid each year. The FAFSA is required; the CSS Profile is required for international students.

MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
Up to $23,000 per year, renewable for all four years. Both domestic and international students are eligible.

In addition, St. John’s College is now proud to offer a new full tuition scholarship called the St. John’s Fellowship. This award is given to students who meet the Early Action deadlines and show exceptional merit.

Financial Aid Rating

Overall

From The School

Students at St. John’s — “Johnnies” — are curious, thoughtful, imaginative, intense, dedicated to learning, and lovers of good talk. They hail from all 50 states and 20 countries and bring their diverse interests and passions to the classroom and to the robust campus life. The latest edition of Colleges That Change Lives notes, “You won’t find a college cafeteria anywhere where eavesdropping is more fun.”

St. John's students are members of a vibrant community that makes it possible for them to create full lives. They can participate in a variety of clubs and organizations including "The Moon," a student-run newspaper; Chrysostomos, a theater group; Ballroom and Blues, a dance club; and Student Polity, a student government organization. Additionally, they can engage in community service through Project Politae or volunteer at community organizations throughout Santa Fe.

Students also enjoy a variety of campus events like concerts, parties, picnics, open mic nights, movies, and game nights. Most of them live on campus, which is situated in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, so they have easy access to outdoor activities like backpacking, rock climbing, rafting, and skiing. Additional physical fitness activities include racquetball/squash, exercising, weight training, basketball, soccer, volleyball, fitness classes, fencing, martial arts, yoga, Tai Chi, and intramural sports.

Faculty

59 total Faculty members: 42 full time, 10 part time.
52 have terminal degrees.

Student Body Profile

Total Undergraduate Enrollment

322

Foreign Countries Represented

28

Demographics

2.17%

Asian

9.32%

Hispanic

55.28%

Caucasian

25.78%

International

44%female

56%male

89%are out of state

96%are full time

4%are part time

Students Say

Most of the 350 undergrads at St. John’s are “friendly,” “big readers,” and “interested in discussions.” It’s easy to find commonalities, since “you’re always able to discuss the program as long as they’re the same year or lower.” All are here “because we have a genuine interest in the larger questions that are posed in life through academia,” and “that’s enough for most of us to feel like we’re ‘fitting in,’ however that may be defined.” Johnnies are “fascinated with learning in a way different from most schools” and “thrive on epiphanies through the ‘great books,’ especially ones shared with others.”

Overview

From The School

Location

Santa Fe, New Mexico, a hub for art and nature enthusiasts, located an hour north of Albuquerque.

Suburban, the 250 acre campus is located in the foothills, just 5 minutes from downtown Santa Fe.

Situated 7,300 feet above sea level, St. John's College's 250-acre campus is just a short distance from downtown Santa Fe. Its ideal location gives students easy access to the tranquility of nature and the culture of the city. Santa Fe is one of the most exciting cities in the southwestern region of the United States. It is a world-renowned artistic and cultural hub and the entryway to the Southern Rocky Mountains. This historic city has world-class museums, hundreds of galleries, live music venues, eclectic restaurants, and a variety of shopping venues. It is also home to several conservation organizations and research facilities.

Campus Facilities & Equipment

The campus boasts one of the only Ptolemy stones in the country, a gorgeous library, science laboratories, a student center, bookstore, dining hall, coffee shop, darkroom, and pottery and woodworking studios, as well as a world-class gym which is home to both the athletics and outdoor programs. All of this is surrounded by 250 acres of St. John’s own jaw-dropping vistas, hiking trails, and athletic fields.

Off-Campus Opportunities

Santa Fe is home to many non-profit and service organizations that are always in need of volunteers. Students can also join the activities of Project Politae, which organizes service projects on and off the St. John’s campus. These include programs for literacy, tutoring and mentoring, social support, animal support, museum and art volunteering, and environmental and search and rescue training.

Campus Life

Housing Options

Apartment Married
Apartment Single
Disabled Student
Dorms Coed

Dorms Female
Dorms Male
International Student
Wellness Housing

Students Say

At St. John’s, “you have to work intensely and relax intensely. Life is more distilled, here.” “Is it hard work?” asks a student. “Yes and no. Does staying up until 1:00 a.m. reading Shakespeare or Darwin sound like work?” Santa Fe is “stunning,” and the proximity of the mountains (for hiking and skiing) is more than welcome. Though each week is “epic” in its schoolwork, there are dozens of clubs and activities to take part in, from “dance (beginners always welcome) to search and rescue to astronomy to rock-climbing.” If you’re artsy, there are many galleries in Santa Fe, or “you can stay on campus, join a study group or sports team, or go to the gym.” The student government is also responsible for dispersing several thousand dollars to support student clubs annually, so “if you can get signatures to show support, you can probably get funding for snacks or supplies.” Many say that food services could have better hours and prices. There are “frequent” field trips to some of the extraordinary places in New Mexico.

Special Needs Admissions

Program / Service Name

Assistant Dean

Director

Michael Golluber

College Entrance Tests Required

No

Interview Required

No

Special Need Services Offered

Calculator allowed in exams

2

Dictionary allowed in exams

2

Computer allowed in exams

2

Spellchecker allowed in exams

2

Extended test time

Yes

Scribes

No

Proctors

No

Oral exams

No

Notetakers

No

Distraction-free environment

Yes

Accommodation for students with ADHD

Yes

Reading machine

No

Other assistive technology

No

Student Activities

Registered Student Organizations

15

Number of Honor Societies

Number of Social Sororities

0

Number of Religious Organizations

0

Sports

Athletic Division

Other

20%participate in intramural sports

Men's Sports ()

1 Sports

Archery

Women's Sports ()

1 Sports

Archery

Student Services

Health

LGBT Support Groups: Monthly Social Group; individual support from LGBTQ Residential staff

Sustainability

Campus Security Report

The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.

The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/security

Class Visits

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays

Available

Arrangements

Contact Admissions Office

Limitations

High school juniors, seniors, or older students only

Transportation

Types of Transportation Available to Campus

Although there are flights into Santa Fe Municipal airport (SAF), flying into Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) is recommended. Albuquerque is 60 miles south of Santa Fe. Sandia Shuttle runs vans between the Albuquerque airport and Santa Fe. Roadrunner Shuttle provides transportation between the Santa Fe airport and campus. Most national car rental companies are available at the Albuquerque airport or in Santa Fe. The New Mexico Railrunner Express runs between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Amtrak stops at Lamy, NM, which is 17 miles from Santa Fe.

Driving Instructions to Campus

Directions from Albuquerque: Take I-25 North for 60 miles. Take exit 284, Old Pecos Trail. Go north (left) on Old Pecos Trail. At the 3rd light, bear right to remain on Old Pecos Trail. Take a right onto Armenta. Turn left at Camino Corrales. Turn right onto Old Santa Fe Trail. Turn left onto Camino del Monte Sol. Turn right onto Camino Cruz Blanca. St. John's is on the right after the tennis courts.
Directions form Taos: Take 84/285 South. As you approach Santa Fe, stay right and follow signs for I-25/St. Francis Drive (84/285 becomes St. Francis Drive). Turn left onto Alameda. After about 2 1/2 miles, Alameda will curve right and become Camino Cabra. Past Los Miradores, on the left, turn left at Camino Cruz Blanca. St. John's is on on the right after the tennis courts.

Local Accommodations

All hotel prices are subject to seasonal change and may be discounted by AAA memberships. Hotels near the college are more expensive as they are close to downtown. Less than 3 miles from St. John's is Santa Fe Sage Inn (725 Cerrillos Road, 1-866-433-0335, moderate, mention St. John's College for a discount); Garrett's Desert Inn (311 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505-982-1851, moderate); Residence Inn (1698 Galisteo, 505-988-7300, moderate/expensive).